Means for exercising the ocular muscles



I Au '20, 1935.

c. M. JoN s MEANS FOR EXERCISING THE OCULAR MUSCLES Filed Feb. 27, 1934WN N rt .U I .M m GA w a M a na B Aug. 20, 1935. c. v. JONES MEANS FOREXERCISING THE OCULAR MUSCLES Filed Feb. 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 do&JTLCS nnzntur Patented Aug 20, 1935 MEANS FOR EXERCISING THE OCULAEMUSCLES Charles Myron Jones, Yakima, wash.

Application February 27, 1934, Serial No. '113,197

e Claims. c 88-20 v "I'his invention relates to a device designedprimarily for use by optometrists, the primary object of the inventionbeing to provide means to assist a patient in exercising and developingthe ocular muscles, whereby the extrinsic or ciliary to move in asimilar manner in following the' movements of the object.

Another object of the invention is the proyision of an exercising devicefor exercising the muscles of the eye, which when used bythe patientwill result in a constant contraction and relaxation of -the eye,muscles, eliminating 'constant strain caused when a patient views anevenly and regularly moving object.-

With the foregoing and other obje'cts in view,

which will appear a's the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe combination and arrangement of parts and in the` details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood thatchanges in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention. 4

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through a device const'ructeclin accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2- of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmental detail view illustratini. the relation of theteeth of the Operating gear and teeth of the gear cooperating withthe'operating ear.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the'device comprises a cabinet orbody portion indicated generally by the reference character 5. Supportedwithin the cabinet is a. motor indicated by the reference character 6,which motor trans'mits motion to the reduction gears Operating withinthe gear housing 'l transmitting movement to the shaft 8.

Secured within the cabinet 5, are uprights 9 and o, which are formedwith hearing openings to accommodate the main shaft ll to which the gear|2 is secured. This gear !2 is formed with teeth !3, disposed in theperiphery thereof, and also has laterally extended pins M disposed atpoints intermediate the teeth, for purposes to be hereinafter, morefully described. 5

Secured on the shaft 8, is a gear |5 which is formed with teeth l6disposed directly opposite to each other, as clearly shown by Figure 4of the drawings. An arm indicated by the reference character l'l, isalso secured on the shalt 8, to 10 rotate therewith, the arm I'lbeing ofa length so that the ends thereof extend slightly beyond the peripheryof the gear !5. This arm is so arranged with respect to the teeth ISthat the ends of the arm will contact with the pins M, prior to 16 theengagement of the teeth !6 with the teeth !3, so that as the shaft 8 isrotated, an intermittent movement will be trans itted to the shaftl I.

'I'he'reference character !8 designatesva gear that is mounted on theshalt I I, and secured to 20 the shaft by means of the set screw 20, thegear being in mesh with the gear 2l formed on the v inner end of thehollow shalt 22, which hollow shaft is mounted in a hearing openingformed in the upper end of the upright 9. One end of the hollow shaft 22is threaded to receive the ring '23, that holds the hollow shaft in itshearing.

Mounted within the hollow shaft 22, to move therewith, is a projectortube 24 in which the lens 25 is mounted, the lens being in the form of aprism, so that as light rays are projected through the lens, the pointof focus of the prism on a screen, not shown, will be varied, with eachrotation of the projector tube. I

The shaft l I provides a support for the disc 26, which is looselymounted thereon, the disc being provided with sets of openings 21, theopenings of each' set being of various shapes or designs, to

meet the requirements of usage.

openings 28 are also formed in the disc 20, and 40 are adapted toaccommodate the ball 29, held within an opening formed in -the disc 30which is also secured to the shaft ll, so that movement of the shaft lland disc 30, will result in relative movement of the disc 26. i

openings 3! are iormed in the disc 30, and are so disposed that theopenings 3| will i'allopposite to certain of the openings of the disc26. Extending through an opening 'in the rear wall of the' cabinet 5 isa setting shatt 32, which has a substantially U-shaped end 33 thatextends through openings formed in the disc 28, the U-shaped end 33 alsoextending through curved ope'nings 34 of the disc 30, so that byrotating shutt 32, the disc 26 may be moved'with respect to the disc 30.

- shaft ll.

The reference character 35 designates a spring that bears against theU-shaped end of the shaft 32, normally urging the shaft 32 outwardly,and drawing thediscs close together so that a trio-'- tional contactbetween the discs and ball 29, will be insured. In order that the shaft32 may be readily opera-ted, a nurled head 36 is iormed on one end ofthe shaft, to be 'grpped by the fingers of the operator. when 'it isdesired to set the device. v

At the upper end of the upright I -are telescoping .tubes 31 and 38respectively, the tube 31 being held within an opening formed in the'upright, as clearly shown by Figure 1.' The tube 30 provides a supportfor the 'lens 39, which is mounted within the outer endthereof. Thus itwill be seen that due to this Construction, the tube 38 may be movedlongitudinally of the tube 31, in order to focus the lens 39. 3

The inner end of the tube 31 is formed with an opening 40 through whichthe light rays from the lamp`4| are projected. when the. device is inoperation. 4

The operation of the device is as follows:

A screen, not shown, is, of course, used wit the projecting device, andthe Outline of an object,

which is projected on the screen', is viewed by the patient undertreatment.

The disc 30 is adjusted so that the openings thereot will fall oppositeto certain openings of the disc 26, whereupon the motor i is rotated.Rotary movement oi' the motor is transmitted to the gear !2 intermittently, as described, causing a rotary, 'but intermittent movement otthe It follows that with each rotary movement of the shaft ll, openingsof the discs 25 and, 30 are moved to positions intercepting the lightrays passing from the lamp 4 I, with the result that the light rays willbe projected through the projector tube 24 and prism-like lens 25,mounted therein.

Due to the construction' of the lens 25, it will be obvious -that the!ocus point of the lens will be moved constantly and intermittently,causing a jerky movement of the patient's eyes intollowing movements ofthe projected object.

It might be further stated that i'ntermittent i movement is transmittedto the projector tube 24,

through the gear |0 that meshes with gear 2 I, that in turn rotates theprojector tube 24.

After the patient has viewed this' particular design or object, theoperator may, by rotating shaft 32, move the disc 20 .to bring openingso! a diii'erent shape, before the openings of the disc 30, so

thata change in the design of the object projected gagesone ot the teeth|3 moving the discs 26 and 30 to'their open positions, whereby the lightimage is shown on the screen, in another position.

As the eyes focus on the new image, the eye muscles willautomatically'contract, thereby insuring constant contraction andrelaxation of the eye muscles, in viewing the image projected by thedevice.

Having thus described the inventiom' what I claim is: v

1. A device 'for the exercise of the ocular muscles, comprising acabinet, a rotatable projector tube mounted within the cabinet, aprismshaped le'ns within the projector tube, a power shaft mountedwithin the cabinet, a disk having a plurality of spaced circularopenings Secured to the shaft, a disk loosely mounted on the shaftadj'acent -to the first-mentioned shaft an`d having a plurality ofopenings of various shapes, adapted to be brought into registry with theopenings of the first-mentioned disk. means for urging the disks towardseach other, means for normally preventingrotary movement of one diskWith respect to the. adjacent disk, means for prjecting light raysthrough the registering openings and prismshaped lens of the projectortube,. and means for rotating the shaft.

2. A device for the exercise of the ocular muscles, comprising acabinet, a rotatable projector tube, a prism-shaped lens mounted withinthe cabinet, a pair of disks of equal dimensions, mounted on one end ofthe shaft and arranged face to face, one of the disks having a pluralityof openings of various shapes, the adjaeent disks having a plurality ofcircular openings, means for adjusting one disk with respect to theother disk, whereby the openings of one disk register with predeterminedopenings of the adjacent disk, means for holding the disks in theirpositions of adjustmen-t, means for drecting light rays throughregistering openings of the disks, and means for rotating the shaft,disks and projector tubes simultaneously and at predetermined intervals.

3. A device for the exercise of the ocular muscles, comprising a,cabinet, a projector tube mounted for rotary movement within thecabinet,

a prism-shaped lens mounted in the projector tube, a horizontal shaft inthe cabinet, a disk on one end of the shaft-and having spaced. openings,another disk on the shaft and arranged adjacent to the first-mentionedshaft and having openings of various shapes, means for adjusting thesecondmentioned disk with respect to the flrst-mentioned diskwherebycertain openings of the disks are brought intoregistry,`means-for projecting light rays through the registeringopenings and pro- ;lector tube, and means for rotating the shaftintermittently whereby the disks and projector tube are rotatedintermittently.

cHARLEs MYRON JONES.

